ANTH 300 - Museum Studies in Native American Cultures (MC, GR, FR)

Provides an introduction to museum studies with a special emphasis on the interpretation and representation of Native American cultures of the Western Hemisphere. Through readings, lectures, discussions, visits to regional museums, and design of a virtual exhibition, students are introduced to the theory and practice of museology; the care, conservation, and interpretation of material culture collections; and the use of material culture in research and public education. In addition, the course examines 1) the origins and evolution of the ongoing debate concerning representation of Native Americans in museums, 2) the changing relationship between native people and national cultural institutions, and 3) the future of museums on the highly contested multicultural stage of the 21st century. (MC, GR, FR)